


The Way You Looked That Tuesday

by aireagoir



Series: The Third Tuesday [4]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Brooklyn, Bucky Barnes Feels, Bucky Barnes Remembers, Dancing, M/M, Mutual Pining, Period-Typical Homophobia, Period-Typical Racism, Romance, Steve Rogers Feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-30
Updated: 2016-10-30
Packaged: 2018-08-28 01:31:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8425498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aireagoir/pseuds/aireagoir
Summary: Tuesday, February 14th, 1939.





	

********

“Will you do this for me, Your Highness?”

“Of course I will. Is there any message to go with your request?"

“The song is the message. Just please make sure he hears it at 11:05 the night of the fourteenth. You’ve done so much for us. For me. Thank you for everything.”

“It’s my pleasure, Sergeant Barnes.” With that, King T’Challa heads towards the door as Steve rounds the corner at the end of the hall. It’s time for Bucky’s final preparation to enter cryostasis.

********

 

_February 14, 1939_

“Jesus, Stevie. Don’t you see nobody around here cares? Look! Most the people in here blew right through Dutch courage and are on their way to an Irish indiscretion! You can’t tell me there ain’t a single person in here you don’t wanna dance with. Next song. One song. You didn’t get all dressed up for nothin’, Rogers.”

“Buck,” Steve started, holding his drink on the table in his right hand so he could use his left hand to point at the jerk sitting next to him, “I didn’t say there’s nobody in here, I’m sayin’ I ain’t asking. Jesus, I can’t even picture what would happen if we made it to the dance floor!” Now his left hand swung in the general direction of the crowded dance hall. He didn’t have to raise his voice much, they were in the corner just behind the side of the band’s stage. It was supposed to be the Colored section but they wouldn’t come here if the joint really ran that way. Looking at the dancers was fun, plus the door leading out to the alley was propped open and the air did Steve’s lungs a world of good. It was always a risk to come to the halls but if he didn’t he’d just be sitting on the fire escape making himself sick a whole other way as his imagination conjured up Bucky with girls that would love to claim him on the dance floor. Then off it. His right thumb stroking his glass was the only indication he was very uncomfortable at the moment.

“Stevie. It’s St. Valentine’s Day and you don’t have to worry about what would happen. I can tell you right now what would happen!” Right on cue, the door to the alley slammed shut and Steve wondered if someone up above was blocking his only chance for escape from this ridiculous exercise.

“Alright then, tell the future. Tell me what would happen out there.”

Bucky scooted his chair into Steve’s space. He was a little behind Steve now, talking more into his good ear. Even though there wasn’t nothin’ in it, Steve put all his focus on the dance floor. He might listen to Bucky’s crap but he didn’t need to see it, too.

“I can tell you exactly what would happen. First off, the band would have to play somethin’ slow, a little romantic, to set the right mood. You’d go over to those tables,” his hand came around and pointed to the tables at the center of the hall, “and you’d pick the best lookin’ partner and ask for the privilege of this dance.” Steve concentrated on looking straight ahead and not feeling the breath ghosting on his neck every time Bucky’s head moved. Bucky moved in a bit more. “She’d say yes, cause who’s dumb enough to turn down Steve Rogers, right? Then you’d hold her hand and lead her to the dance floor. You’d put your hand on the small of her back, gently working your way through the crowd. I mean, you’d need a bit of room just for the two of you, cause this is gonna be the night she gets swept off her feet, punk. This is what she’ll tell your grandkids about. The night she met the handsomest guy in Brooklyn and he asked her to dance.”

Steve could feel the red bloom in his cheeks and creep across his neck. He wished the damn door would get propped open again.  His eyes are now pointed in the direction of the dance floor but he wasn’t seeing anything in focus. There was a space in the crowd where his mind’s eye was sketching the dance as Bucky described it. “Shaddup, Buck.”

“No way, kid. Now comes the best part. The one you choose, right, the perfect dance partner, you put their hands into yours, and pull ‘em close. Just the right amount. Not too close, you gotta be respectful, but just close enough. Where you can feel soft clothes just startin’ to brush your shirt, where you’re almost touching but it’s more like a thought. You can feel the warmth on the dance floor where all that separates you is a little flimsy cloth. You’ll know it’s right because you’ll wanna lean in. That perfect angle when you turn your head in and catch a hint of scent, that gorgeous soft hair trying to tickle your lips. The two of you make lazy little turns on the floor, you do it right you won’t even need to move your feet much. Maybe you’ll whisper a silly little joke that only the two of you can hear. It’ll feel so good you can’t help it, you gotta do it again. You wanna hear a little laugh. That’s the tradeoff, see? Now you got that laugh and you’ll walk around with it, be proud you got it. It’s just for you. You want to pull in more laughs, it feels so good inside you. You know what I mean, Steve—that pull you where all you wanna do is find more ways to get as close as you can, find more ways to get inside a person. Ears and lips and breath and any other way in the world where the two of you wanna get so close you can’t pull away without leavin’ a part of you there forever. That you don’t _want_ them to give it back.”

For the first time in his life Steve can’t breathe and his asthma’s got nothing to do with it. The band starts in a different key and then the man behind the microphone gently sways and starts “Some day, when I'm awfully low, When the world is cold, I will feel a glow just thinking of you…”

Time has wrapped Steve in an iron lung. He doesn’t want to move and he doesn’t think he can stay. One of them has to move. One of them has to breathe. One of them has to

“Choose already Rogers, you’re gonna miss your dance!”

Time has let him go. His breathing is somehow going to start again. All he has to do is stand up but he can’t. He can’t stand up.

“Yeah, I’m right behind ya. Go grab your dance, Buck.”

“Sure thing, pal. I gotta blonde who won’t keep long.” Bucky’s slap on the back finally reminds Steve’s lungs they have to return to their job.

“Good choice, Buck!” His words are already lost by the time Bucky scoops up a blonde dame three inches taller than Steve and pulls her in crooning, “The waaaay you loooook, tonight.” She smiles then moves Bucky’s hands off her lower waist in that exact way that means he’d better not stop. Bucky glances over her head with a leer only Steve can see. Then they disappear in the middle of the crowd.

Steve suddenly feels cold. He’s certain it’s because someone propped the door open again.

********

Steve has stopped to speak with a technician. T’Challa turns around, clearly making sure he has time for the question.

“Sergeant, without meaning to pry, would you please tell me if you think it would be better for Captain Rogers to be alone or with friends when I play the song?”

Barnes thought a second.

“Not sure it'd matter, your Highness. I think he’ll be alone no matter how many people are in the room.”

T’Challa nodded. He can’t help himself although it is clearly an intrusion upon the private lives of his guests.

“Bucky, may I ask how you wish for Steve to feel when he hears the song?”

Bucky is seeing something nowhere near the room they’re actually in. When he finally looks up his mouth is trying to smile but his eyes simply won’t cooperate.

 

“Chosen.”


End file.
